Scion FR-S Shines Again as AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star

To become an AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star, the Scion FR-S had to shine. By achieving it twice, the FR-S shows lasting power. The annual list from the publication’s industry judges compared all current model year vehicles on sale in the United States. The 2014 FR-S shares its spot with the 2014 Subaru BRZ.

To determine their top picks, AUTOMOBILE Magazine judges evaluated how the FR-S looked and handled when staff and contributors drove GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Mich. and on public roads. They praised the rear-wheel drive sports car for its communicative steering, athletic chassis and a pure driving experience. Plus, the continuing affordability makes the FR-S accessible to more driving enthusiasts.

“Is 200 horsepower enough for a sports car? Yes, provided that sports car is light and has a perfectly balanced, rear-wheel-drive chassis. Oh, and don't forget to include perfectly placed controls,” said Jean Jennings, president and editor-in-chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine. “Because of all this, the FR-S is among the few modern cars you can enjoy driving at the limit without losing your license.”

AUTOMOBILE Magazine also took the FR-S on a road trip from its editorial offices in Ann Arbor, Mich. to New Orleans. You can read the full All-Star article atwww.automobilemag.com/2014allstars/.

“For the second year, AUTOMOBILE Magazine editors recognized the all-star power and wide appeal of the Scion FR-S,” said Scion Vice President Doug Murtha. “The 2014 FR-S continues to introduce new drivers to how exhilarating and possible a sports car can be for them.”

The 2014 FR-S comes standard with a touchscreen audio system, a limited-slip differential and 2.0-liter flat boxer engine that produces 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. The 2014 Scion FR-S is priced at $24,700 MSRP with a six-speed manual transmission or $25,800 MSRP with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and Dynamic Rev Management® technology.

Stop by Burien Toyota and Scion today to take the Scion FR-S for a test drive!

2015 Toyota Camry Standard-Setting Performance, Style

The 2015 Toyota Camry was just unveiled and it looks better than ever! We are excited to welcome the newest Camry model to Burien Toyota later this year, but if you can't wait we've got a little taste of what's to come just for you.

Check out this brief clip about how the 2015 Toyota Camry gives us more of what we want and is the sportiest model yet.

You can find out more about the sleek, modern style of the 2015 Toyota Camry in this clip.

We are beyond excited about the new Camry and can't wait to share it with our friends and neighbors. What do you think of the Camry? What are you hoping for or looking forward to most?!

More Than Skin Deep: America's Best-Selling Car Gets Even Better With Sweeping Redesign of 2015 Toyota Camry

NEW YORK (April 16, 2014) - So what do you do when you have the best-selling car in the industry for 12 straight years? You find ways to make it even better. That’s exactly what Toyota did with the introduction of the new 2015 Camry. After selling almost a million of the industry’s benchmark sedan since the current generation launched in 2011, Toyota stripped it down to its chassis and rebuilt it from the ground up, raising the bar yet again in the ultra-competitive mid-size sedan segment. 

“Customers today love the durability, quality and value that the Camry represents, but they are looking for a little more style, comfort and performance, and this 2015 Camry has all of the above,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. “This is the new Camry, and it’s coming from the new Toyota.”

Toyota designers and engineers re-imagined nearly every exterior surface of the car. Only the roof remains unchanged. The new, upscale interior features premium, soft-touch materials throughout the spacious cabin. Advanced instrumentation with intuitive controls helps keep the driver’s eyes safely on the road ahead.

Underneath the striking new exterior, the chassis and body structure are bolstered with additional spot welds, enhancing rigidity for better ride quality. A retuned suspension takes the Camry’s handling to a whole new level of responsiveness.

Two new grades, the sporty and luxurious XSE and the eco-fun Hybrid SE, join the well-equipped entry LE and the premium XLE grade, giving customers more choice than ever before.

An Expressive and Athletic Exterior

The 2015 Camry’s exterior is more expressive and athletic with prominent character lines. The new car is slightly longer (1.8 inches or 45 mm) and features a widened track (0.4 inches or 10 mm) that communicates a dynamic stance and presence.

 A pronounced body line starts from the Camry's muscular front fender and spans across the doors and rear quarter panel, conveying a sense of motion. The completely revised, more aggressive front bumper cover features a wider more prominent trapezoidal grille shape, expressing a lower center of gravity.

The 2015 Camry will be available in 10 colors, including the new Celestial Silver Metallic and Ruby Flare Pearl.

New Lighting Shines with Form and Function

The new sleek headlamps complement the aggressive front fascia, while the front turn signal indicators and LED DRL’s are integrated for an elegant appearance. The 2015 Camry will offer exterior lighting with available LED low and high-beams and auto static leveling. The Camry’s rear tail lamps sweep into the tapered sheet metal at the rear of the car. A decorative garnish connects

the tail lamps across the trunk lid and emphasizes its new sporty stance.

A Modern, Refined Interior

The interior of the new Camry is more refined than ever with premium materials, roomier feel and improved amenities. The center stack features a high-tech, upscale look that smoothly integrates with the console.

The center console tray has been redesigned to increase capacity while offering a convenient power source in the storage box. The new enclosed bin in front of the shifter now offers 12v, USB and a segment-first, available wireless charging system for select smart phones. 

           

The 2015 Camry’s cockpit offers intuitive top-flight in-car electronics and displays that help reduce driver stress and distraction. The instrument panel features a new 4.2-inch TFT screen nestled between the three-dimensional Optitron gauges on the SE, XLE and XSE models. The screen’s color animation displays a wide range of vehicle functions and coordinates with the multimedia system to display audio, navigation, warnings and communications.

Detailed stitching and trim elements finished in satin chrome convey a sophisticated appearance. Varying by model, seat cover textures range from premium cloth all of the way to genuine leather and Ultrasuede with durable, high contrast French-stitching.

The Quietest Camry Ever

Toyota engineers focused on reducing unwanted wind and road noise to offer an even quieter cabin. Window and door seals were improved to keep noise outside. The carpet features 30 percent more insulating material.  Even the Camry’s side mirrors were redesigned to better control air flow reducing turbulence and noise.

Dialing Up Driving Dynamics

Additional spot welds were added to the door opening flanges to increase rigidity and enable spirited handling. A combination of Macpherson struts up front, a multi-link arrangement at the rear and a stiffer body structure allows for unique suspension tuning across trim levels.

The electric power steering on all Camry models is tuned for better on-center feel, better straight line stability and more direct-feeling steering inputs. In addition to improvements in steering feel, the new Camry’s hydraulic system has been revised with a two-stage brake booster to improve brake feel.    

The Camry will continue to be available with 2.5-liter four-cylinder or 3.5-liter V6 gas engines paired with 6-speed automatic transmissions, or a 2.5-liter Atkinson Cycle engine with Hybrid Synergy drive matched to an E-CVT.  

Making the Grade

In 2011, Toyota launched the sporty Camry SE grade, resulting in attracting buyers that were 12 years younger than the rest of the segment average. The SE model now accounts for 45 percent of the Camry sales mix, proving that drivers want sportier models.

Building on this success, the Camry XSE grade gives customers more of what they want with enthusiastic driving dynamics and luxurious amenities. The Camry SE and XSE are distinguished by a unique mesh grille and fascia treatment. The Camry XSE adds to its edgier look with model-specific 18-inch wheels, unique shock absorbers, firmer bushings, higher rate coil springs, and unique EPS tuning, making it the sportiest Camry yet.

Also for 2015, a Camry Hybrid SE has been added to the lineup with unique dynamic suspension tuning that delivers an eco-fun driving experience. Up front, a stabilizer bar, absorber valve structure, and control arm bushing components were enhanced to offer improved ride quality while sharpening steering feel. The Hybrid SE’s vehicle stability control system has been retuned for smoother intervention and a more natural driving feel.  

Advanced Safety Features

All Toyota vehicles come standard with the STAR Safety System. In addition, Camry will offer safety-focused driver aids including Lane Departure Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System with Auto High Beams, and Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Everybody’s All-American

           

Every Camry sold in North America is the product of over 7,000 skilled American team members. From design and engineering in Michigan, to assembly in Kentucky, a unique American touch goes into each Camry that rolls off of the line. The new 2015 Camry will arrive in dealerships this fall. 

Celebrate Earth Day with a Toyota!

Toyota is has a world-wide and much-respected reputation as automotive industry leader when it comes to developing environmentally friendly cars, like the Prius line up of vehicles. And, of course, with Earth Day on April 22, we here at Burien Toyota can think of no better way to celebrate Earth Day than by putting on sale our earth-saving vehicles!

The Prius was the first mainstream and widely accepted hybrid vehicle and, in fact, still leads hybrid sales. By a lot. But the Prius has come a long way since its first model and now there are several members of the Prius family and Burien Toyota is having a great promotion to help you go green for Earth Day!

• Lease a 2014 Prius 5-Door HB Two for 0%  APR financing and only $179/mo!

• Lease a 2014 Prius c for $149/mo!

• Lease a 2014 Prius v for $229/mo!

Toyota's environmentally friendliness is not just limited to the Prius family, though! And neither are our deals!

• Lease a 2014 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE for $209/mo!

• Check out any of our other hybrids like the critically acclaimed Toyota Avalon Hybrid or Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

You might consider doing the environment - and your wallet - a favor by upgrading to a Toyota with more MPGs. In honor of Earth Day, Burien Toyota is extending lease and finance offers on their most fuel-efficient models.  Call (866)297-1393 to schedule your test drive at Burien Toyota Scion today!

Burien Toyota New Owner Clinics 2014

We are holding a total of four New Owner Clinics this year and two have already passed! Make sure to stay up-to-date on our next one coming up on July 17, 2014. Visit our website to register.

Follow the link to go to the page directly: http://bit.ly/1i2Kys7

2014 Toyota Highlander Earns Highest Safety Rating, Beats Out Competitors

The 2014 Toyota Highlander is clearly the safest vehicle in its class because it is the only one that earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ designation! None of the competitors of the 2014 Toyota Highlander earned that rating, including the Honda Pilot. 

In fact, according to this article, "The 2014 Toyota Highlander has now proven to be superior with regards to safety in comparison to some of its key competitors. For example, the Honda Pilot, perhaps the Highlander’s clsoest marketplace rival, did not earn this rating. In fact, David Zuby, IIHS’ Chief Research Officer, commented on one part of the testing and said “The Honda Pilot was the worse performing mid-size SUV in this group.”"

One of the major reasons the 2014 Toyota Highlander was able to earn the top safety rating was because the vehicle earned an "acceptable" rating on the very difficult-to-pass small overlap crash test, which simulates a collision on the outer thirds of the front of the vehicle. This is an important test because not every head-on collision occurs right down the middle of the vehicle (ie if a vehicle were to hit the front outside of the vehicle on a telephone pole). It has been a very difficult test for many manufacturers to pass, but the 2014 Toyota Highlander passed with flying colors.

"Normally, people looking to buy a mid-size SUV want a very safe, relatively roomy vehicle to transport their family, their children in," said Ted Klarich, general sales manager at Burien Toyota. "The IIHS safety rating shows that the 2014 Toyota Highlander is THE safest mid-size SUV, and who doesn't want that for their family?"

When it comes to keeping your family safe, you want nothing but the best. And when it comes to the best, nothing comes close to the 2014 Toyota Highlander.

"Most mid-size SUVs cannot earn the top rating in this class. The new Highlander is simply better."

Stop by Burien Toyota today to take the 2014 Toyota Highlander for a test drive!

Paralympian, Dancing with the Stars Competitor Amy Purdy is on Team Toyota

Fresh Powder, Fresh Perspective

Team Toyota’s Amy Purdy thrives in the face of double amputation

April 10, 2014

Begin with the teenage girl working her way down a white mountain on a snowboard in, say, 1997.
Back then, Amy Purdy’s goals were pretty simple: Graduate high school, travel around the world snowboarding. Make money as a massage therapist. Snowboard more.

Cut to the disease: A form of bacterial meningitis she acquired at 19. Doctors gave her a 2 percent chance of living. Still, the ordeal ended with life, not death. But her new life began without legs, both amputated below the knee.

“I had to let go of the old Amy and start the journey as the new Amy,” Purdy says now. “I knew I would snowboard again after losing my legs, but I didn’t know how I would do it. Sometimes all you have to do is believe and the ‘how’ will figure itself out.”

She jolted life forward. After trying to find the perfect prosthetic legs for snowboarding, she ended up designing them herself.

Get Up, Move On
Now that the back story is set, let’s talk about Purdy’s life in the present. If you watch “Dancing with the Stars,” you’ve probably seen her. She’s the one making judges cry this season with her unlikely story. If you watch “The Amazing Race,” you saw her there in 2012.

If you’re into the Olympics, you may have followed her journey to the Sochi Paralympic games, where she won a bronze medal in snowboarding. And if you go to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach Pro/Celebrity race on April 12, you’ll see her waving the checkered flag as the race’s grand marshal.
Purdy has been a part of Team Toyota – the impressive group of professional athletes who have a history as loyal brand advocates – since 2013. You could say she’s making her team proud.

In a world full of vapid fame, Purdy is gaining attention for all the right reasons. After her illness, Purdy saw a fork in the road. She chose the route that inspires people and allows her to maximize life. She and her boyfriend, Daniel Gale, created Adaptive Action Sports, a nonprofit that helps disabled youth participate in sports like skateboarding and snowboarding.

“I wanted to give back and help others since I got so much help along the way,” Purdy says. “It’s so rewarding to see the faces of people trying things they never thought they would do again or trying something they didn’t think they could do at all.”

Shining Her Light
After staring down her obstacles, inspiring people became part of her job. Purdy is a powerful motivational speaker and her must-see TED Talk about her struggles has more than 625,000 views.

In that talk, she describes the struggle to accept her first set of prosthetic legs. Once she accepted her new life, she tells the crowd, “that is when it dawned on me that I didn’t have to be 5-foot-5 anymore. I could be as tall as I wanted. Or as short as I wanted, depending on who I was dating.”

Though she recently joined Team Toyota, the company has been part of Purdy’s journey from the beginning. “The folks at Toyota have been there for me since my illness,” she says. “They supplied a vehicle for me and to Adaptive Action Sports. I would not be able to get anywhere without them.”

So her role with Toyota comes naturally. Purdy is among the most decorated members of Team Toyota, winning three consecutive World Cup gold medals. She also played a pivotal role in getting snowboarding added to the Paralympics for the first time in Sochi. 

She marked that success by flying to Los Angeles from Russia the day after receiving her bronze medal. She had to begin her new challenge on “Dancing with the Stars.” To hear her talk about it, the show seems to be something of a microcosm of her life.

“I only had four days to learn the cha-cha and I was training for the Paralympics at the same time,” she said. “So I just kept thinking ‘just make it through the first dance.’ (dance partner) Derek Hough and I were both unsure of what I would be able to do because of my legs. Then quickly we realized how much I can do on them. I just needed to make it through that first dance, and now I can say that I am in it to win it.”

5 Roadside Attractions You Have to See!

We wanted to provide a quick list of roadside attractions around the U.S.A. On your next road trip take a look at some of these wonders if you are passing by!

1.  Ave Maria Grotto | Cullman, Alabama

The Benedictine monk of St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Ala., devoted some 50 years to the project. "To pass the time, I started hobbies," he once said. After he made 5,000 small grottoes, which were sold to support the abbey's work, Zoettl began work on his magnum opus, the Ave Maria Grotto. Today, spread out across three acres of the abbey's forested grounds, stand tiny replicas of St. Peter's Basilica, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the grotto of St. Theresa, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, an Our Lady of Guadalupe shrine, the Great Wall of China and miniature versions of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Rome, among others. He even crafted a mini St. Bernard's Abbey, complete with the abbey's power station where he once worked shoveling coal.


2. Carhenge | Alliance, Nebraska
 
















On a 10-acre plot in Alliance, Neb., stands Carhenge — a monument that looks like the artistic offspring of Stonehenge and Cadillac Ranch. Envisioned by artist Jim Reinders in 1987, Carhenge is an arrangement of 38 autos, painted slate gray and placed in a formation mimicking England's medieval wonder.


3. Desert of Maine | Freeport, Maine

When you think of Maine, you think of fresh seafood, idyllic sunsets and endless blue water. So a desert is probably the farthest thing from your mind. But if you're around the Freeport area, this natural wonder is a must-see. Bad farming after 1797 led to soil erosion and the creation of natural desert-like conditions. Surrounded by green hills, this unlikely wonder covers nearly 50 acres and can be explored with 30-minute coach tours or on foot.


4. Lucy the Elephant | Margate City, New Jersey

















Victorian speculator James V. Lafferty, who hit upon the idea of driving up interest in beachfront property he owned by constructing 'Lucy,' a building shaped like an elephant. Though 'zoomorphic architecture' failed to take off, Lucy became a popular tourist attraction, her belly serving variously as a restaurant, summer home and speakeasy. Though she fell into disrepair in the 1960s, Lucy was soon saved from the wrecking ball, moved onto public land and designated a National Historic Landmark.



5. The Blue Whale | Catoosa, Oklahoma

















Drive along Route 66 through a pair of side-by-side bridges and you're bound to come across an even more bizarre sight: a famous beached whale. Built in the 1970s as an anniversary gift from one man to his wife, Oklahoma's grinning Blue Whale is 80 feet long, and rests in a pond that has since become a favorite watering hole for locals and passing travelers.


If you have a suggestion or a favorite roadside attraction, tell us and post a picture to our Facebook page!

Courtesy of Time.com

Link: http://ti.me/1gSfeMw

Toyota is Number 1 in Retail Sales for March!

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., reported March 2014 sales results of 215,348 units, an increase of 8.9 percent from March 2013 on a daily selling rate (DSR). On a raw-volume basis, unadjusted for 26 selling days in March 2014 versus 27 selling days in March 2013, TMS sales increased 4.9 percent from year-ago month.

Toyota division posted March 2014 sales of 186,755 units, up 6.5 percent year-over-year on a DSR basis. Volume-wise, Toyota division sales increased 2.5 percent over March 2013.

For the first quarter, TMS reported sales of 520,997 units, flat versus the same period in 2013 on a DSR basis.  With 75 selling days in the first quarter of 2014 compared to 76 selling days in the first quarter of 2013, sales were down 1.6 percent on an unadjusted raw-volume basis.

“Solid March sales pushed first-quarter industry results ahead of last year’s pace despite one of the harshest winters on record,” said Bill Fay, Toyota division group vice president and general manager. “Toyota dealers had their two best sales weekends of the year late in the month, and we’re optimistic that momentum will spring us into April.”

Lexus reported March sales of 28,593 units, a 28 percent increase on a DSR and a 23.3 percent increase on a raw-volume basis, both year-over-year.

Lexus posted first quarter sales of 65,085 units, up 16.2 percent over the same period in 2013 on a DSR basis. Volume-wise, sales were up 14.7 percent.

"New products are driving the growth in the luxury segment," said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “IS sales more than doubled in March and helped push Lexus to one of the biggest increases in the industry for the month.” 
   
Other Highlights:

• TMS is no. 1 retail manufacturer; Toyota division is no. 1 retail brand in March and first quarter
• Camry up more than 11 percent with sales of 42,000 units
• All-new Corolla records sales of 30,000 units
• Toyota division trucks up 10 percent
• All-new RAV4 is truck volume leader with sales of 20,000 units in March; best-ever first quarter
• FJ Cruiser up over 94 percent
• All-new Highlander up 14.3 percent in March; best-ever first quarter
• 4Runner up over 53 percent
• All-new Tundra up 25 percent; best-month since August 2008
• Lexus up 28 percent in March; up almost 15 percent in first quarter
• All-new Lexus IS posts triple-digit gains
• Lexus GS up 32 percent
• Lexus luxury utility vehicles up almost 20 percent
• Lexus RX posts sales of nearly 10,000 units
• Lexus GX posts triple digit gains

Stop by Burien Toyota to find out why Toyotas are the best-selling vehicles in America!

Best road trip songs of all time!

Driving on long road trips doesn't have to be boring. Music can be quite the element that turns a regular drive into an epic memory that you will never forget. For this reason, we have decided to compile the best driving songs of all-time. We understand music is very, subjective, so please do not hesitate to chime in and tell us what you prefer! 

Those are motivating, fun, upbeat and will keep you going for hours!



1. "Sweet Escape" - Gwen Stefani
2. "Highway to Hell" - AC/DC
3. "Don't stop me now" - Queen
4. "Road Tripping" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. "Hurricane" - Bob Dylan